In recent weeks one thing has become clear - Liverpool Council and its Mayor Joe Anderson are intent on cleaning up Liverpool - one way or another.

Over the past two months we have seen succession of eye-catching new policy announcements aimed at making Liverpool a better place to live.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

Its safe to say that some of the ideas coming out of the Cunard building have recieved a mixed response from the public - but it cannot be denied that when it comes to taking decisive action on specific issues, the mayor and his team don’t hang about.

Strapped for cash and low on staff - the authority has had to come up with some rather creative ways of tackling the issues it faces - but not everyone has loved what it has come up with.

Here we look back on a hectic couple of months in the corridors of power and the major changes we are expecting to come to fruition.

Pooper snoopers

A man walking his dogs, as residents who help catch dog owners not picking up their pet's mess would not have to pay their council tax bill under new proposals to be considered in Liverpoo

Let’s start with perhaps the most fascinating new scheme launched by Mayor Anderson.

In February he hit the headlines with his unique new idea to tackle the growing issue of dog fouling with a scheme he believes will be “cost neutral.”

The idea is for city residents to shop those irresponsible dog owners who they see leaving their pet’s mess on the streets and not clearing it up.

He said this could be done by filming or taking photographs of the offenders in action and handing them to the council.

But why would people bother doing this? Well because if they successfully shop someone, they will be given the reward of a year’s free council tax.

Understandably the announcement got a massive response, with many agreeing that something needs to be done about the issue and many others predicting it could cause carnage on the streets of Liverpool.

We are still waiting for the finer details of the plan to be brought forward - with great anticipation we might add.

Issues relating to homelessness and rough sleepers are always sensitive and often provoke strong and contrasting reactions.

But one area where the Mayor has decided to get tough is on what he calls “professional beggars.”

These are people who are not in fact homeless, but travel into the city and set up shop on the streets in the hope of convincing passers-by to chuck a few coins their way.

Now there is no doubt that there are a good number of genuinely needy and vulnerable rough sleepers in Liverpool, but the council said that of the 124 people who were found begging in the city in December - just 12 were actually homeless.

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The allegation is that these people give a bad name to those who really need help and the mayor is now pulling together a new multi-agency team involving charity groups, the council and the police who will target the “professional beggars” operating in the city.